Ye edges closer to securing Tour card

Cha-am, Hua Hin, Thailand, February 14: China’s Ye Jian-feng is prepared for one final assault at the Asian Tour Qualifying School Final Stage presented by Sports Authority of Thailand after shooting a third round two-under-par 69 on Friday.Ye compiled a three-day total of four-under-par 210 at the Springfield Royal Country Club to give himself an opportunity to earn an Asian Tour card after missing the mark in the past three years.Nathan Holman of Australia is a further step away from earning an elusive Asian Tour card for the new season when he shot a 67 for a 202 total to grab a one shot lead over Frenchman Seb Gros. Akinori Tani of Japan was a further shot back on 204 in third place.Ye made his first ever cut in his fourth attempt at the Qualifying School but is aware of the huge task ahead as he sits on the cutline bubble. Akinori Tani of Japan“I played consistently and I had an eagle on the ninth hole. It got windy towards the end and I missed a few putts. I think it’s still the same problem as the last two rounds. My putting has not been good. I’ll probably do better if I putted well. I will have to work harder tomorrow since I’m on the bubble now,” said the 22-year-old Ye.“I came here this week telling myself that I need to make the cut. I’m glad I’ve done it now. The other target I set for myself is to get two-under for each round but I didn’t achieve that. I hope to make up for what I’ve lost in the final round,” he added.Malaysia’s Arie Fauzi believes he will handle the pressure better in the final round after missing the grade in last year’s Final Stage when he shot a 78 on the last day.“It wasn’t that great but still manageable because I’m still in contention to finish inside the top-40. I played as an amateur last year but there’s really not much difference. However I’m better prepared and I know what to expect. The preparations that I’ve done made me a better player,” said Arie, who was tied on 41st position after carding a 72.“It has been a great experience for me after turning professional. I learnt that every shot matters. My strategy tomorrow is to stick to my game plan, stay in the present and stay positive. It is going to be a tough day so I just need to play without any expectations and do my best,” added the 23-year-old.The 22-year-old Holman, who took the first round lead with a superb 63, knew that he had to push harder as the strong competition was hot on his heels. Arie Fauzi of Malaysia“I got off to a good start today. I made two bogeys on the sixth and seventh but recovered with four birdies on the back nine which is nice. I hit the ball very well on the back nine. That was really the highlight today. I gave myself a lot of chances and holed a few putts there,” said Holman, who is participating in the Asian Tour Qualifying School for the first time.“It’s been a good experience so far even though it’s golf and business as usual for me. It’s been very competitive here. I will give another shot tomorrow and hopefully I can do as well,” added Holman.Leading third round scores: 202 - Nathan HOLMAN (AUS) 63 72 67203 - Seb GROS (FRA) 68 67 68204 - Akinori TANI (JPN) 72 67 65205 - Ryan MCCARTHY (AUS) 74 66 65, Lionel WEBER (FRA) 71 68 66, Jarin TODD (USA) 67 67 71206 - Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) 70 70 66, LEE Seong-ho (KOR) 67 72 67, Naomi OHTA (JPN) 70 67 69, Paul PETERSON (USA) 66 68 72207 - Mathiam KEYSER (RSA) 74 65 68, Kenichi KUBOYA (JPN) 69 67 71, Nicholas CULLEN (AUS) 69 67 71, Martin ROMINGER (SUI) 66 69 72 Nathan Holman of Australia208 - Cameron SMITH (AUS) 72 68 68, WANG Jeung-hun (KOR) 71 69 68, KIM Tae Woo (KOR) 70 69 69, Guy WOODMAN (ENG) 74 66 68, Dimitrios PAPADATOS (AUS) 71 69 68, SHIN Hyuk-chul (KOR) 69 71 68, Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS) 71 67 70, Ryan YIP (CAN) 71 67 70, Settee PRAKONGVECH (THA) 70 72 66Ends.About the Asian TourAs the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Abacus (Official Apparel Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Sponsor), Oakley (Official Eyewear and Footwear Sponsor), Saxo Capital Markets (Official Statistics Partner), Singha Beer (Official Beer), Srixon (Official Ball), Subway (Official Quick Service Restaurant) and Rolex (Official Timekeeper). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Also, visit us at www.asiantour.com, www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf, www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf, www.youtube.com/theasiantour,and www.weibo.com/asiantourgolf.

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